1. Field Of The Invention
This invention concerns a clip for binding a set of plastic eating utensils together. The utensils to be bound together each have a pair of substantially parallel flexible, preferably plastic cylindrical arms forming the handle thereof. The utensils are generally formed so that they may be nested together one upon the other.
The clip of the present invention serves to releasably bind the utensils in stacked relationship and permits easy removal or addition of one or more utensils from the stack with little effort.
Plastic utensils are often considered decorator items useful for informal buffets and outdoor picnicking. While some such utensils are crudely made of cheap materials and are so inexpensive as to be considered disposable, the majority of such utensils, and particularly those for which the present invention is adapted, are of substantial size, weight and quality and finish, and are too expensive to be considered disposable.
In addition, for utensils that are used in outdoor environments, traveling picnics, barbecues etc., it is desirable that a set of utensils be provided for each party. It is extremely convenient if a complete individual full set, rather than separate piles of knives, forks, etc., be available. Oftentimes a set is rolled in napkins or put loosely on plates and this is often a great inconvenience and allows individual pieces to roll around loose and get lost. It is, therefore, desirable that an inexpensive and conveniently used retainer clip be made available that will serve to retain a full set of utensils or less than a full set of utensils together and that it be capable of being made of the same material as the utensils in order to have matching appearances for aesthetic purposes.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a retainer clip for storing the plastic eating utensils which have parallel tubes serving as the handles.
2. Prior Art
Little success has been demonstrated by the prior art in achieving the foregoing objects. One such attempt which seems to be the most closely related device of the prior art to applicant's is a set of measuring spoons which have a means for holding this set in nested fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,812, Lutz, relates to a series of measuring spoons that are nestable, one within the other, and the arms of which are stackable one on top of the other. They have a spring inserted through the small diameter hole vertically lined in each of the handles and secured under tension to the lower most of the spoons. At the opposite end is a large diameter coil the spring which is larger than the opening on the top spoon handle. This permits individual biasing of the spoons from their nesting position and rotating away from the nest for individual use. This is only a variation. In this case the handles are not deformed at all and the spoons are never removed from the tension device or useable individually. Thus, in that device, only one spoon can be used at a time whereas with applicant's device, the utensils are designed to be used individually and the flexible retaining clip permits secured nested storage but allows removing the utensils from storage with very little effort in using them individually.